Roasted Cornish Hens

Roasted Cornish hen with asparagus on a white platter.

5 from 1 vote

Roasted to a crispy golden brown on the outside with succulent and juicy meat on the inside you'll love my easy to make roasted Cornish hens.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1 30

Total Time1 40

Course: Entree

Cuisine: French

Servings:

Calories: 1033kcal

Author: Chef Ryan Littley

Ingredients

2-4 lbs cornish hens 2 hens (1-2 lbs each)
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried sage
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon sweet paprika or smoked paprika
1 lemon cut into quarters
2 tablespoon unsalted butter

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Pat the cornish hens dry with paper towels.
Add the seasonings to a small bowl and mix to combine.
Place a wire rack on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Spray the rack with cooking spray, or apply a light coat of olive oil to the rack.
Place the cornish hens on the rack and stuff them with the lemons and any fresh herbs or aromatics you may want to add.
Season the cornish hens with the seasoning mixture on all sides, rubbing the seasoning into the skin.
*The hens should be at room temperature for about 30 minutes, during the preparation. This will help them to cook more evenly.
Place the cornish hens on the center rack of the preheated oven and cook for 30 minutes. Then lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue cooking for an additional 30 minutes.
Baste the hens with butter and continue cooking until an internal temperature of 165 degrees has been reached (10-15 minutes).
*Cooking times may vary depending on the size of the game hen.
Remove them from the oven and let them rest for 15 minutes before serving to allow the juices to redistribute back into the whole bird.

Notes

Can I change the seasonings?

Absolutely. I used our homemade poultry seasoning in my recipe, but you can add your favorite fresh herbs and spices to create the flavor profile that suits your taste buds.

You can also use your favorite premade seasonings. Cajun, Italian, lemon pepper, and jerk seasoning are a few of my favorites.

Nutrition